Downfall
by Sailor Libra24
Summary: Aoshi can't decide what's worse: that Misao can't remember what happened or that he can.


Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, Aoshi would have actually confessed his love for Misao in the manga, instead of only in fanfiction.

This is the first story I've posted here and I can prosmise, there will be more to it.

_Wonder how you sleep_

_Wonder what you think of me_

_If I could go back_

_Would you have ever been with me?_

For once in his life, Shinomori Aoshi had no clue what to do.

That had never happened before. Though his position in life as a former Okashira had put him in many interesting situations, he had always known what to do.

Even when four of the five people he actually cared about died before his eyes, he knew what he had to do. That was obvious, he reflected. _Revenge._

But what should he do now? Such a situation would not have come about, he thought, if he had better self-control. Of course, it was a bit too late for his self-control to change things now.

But, still, his self-control helped. It was the only thing keeping him from running headfirst out of the room, for instance.

Misao's stare continued to bore holes into his shoulder, as he took another sip of tea. _She_ couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. Lucky her.

But. What was he going to do? Did he have to do anything? Maybe he could not tell her. Maybe she would never realize.

At the very least, never realize it was him.

That was hoping for a bit much, he thought. It wouldn't be exactly fair to keep something like this from her, would it?

But how could he tell her?

Turning to her and telling her that: "We slept together last night. I hope you don't mind. It won't happen again," did _not_ seem to be the right approach.

There needed to be more build-up. But how does one hint to one's much younger friend that one had totally lost their mind and done something insane and unforgivable?

_Hmmm_. He keep coming back to the not-telling-her idea.

But if she ever found out, she's never forgive him for not informing her of such an important fact.

"Aoshi." Misao said, her voice impatient.

He turned and looked at her. And suddenly wished he hadn't. She looked beautiful, and very young, and very unattainable. Oh, he wanted her. He just didn't know what he would do with her after he had her.

He might love her. He had to accept that, after what had happened last night. He just might love her. And not like an older brother.

Maybe that would help things, he mused. "I'm madly in love with you and I slept with you last night," sounded better than just, "I fucked you last night."

But…then they would end up together, married, probably. And he could never do that to her. She deserved someone better. Someone young…and happy…and _clean._

"Aoshi!" Misao said, glaring at him with her large blue-green eyes. "Are you listening to me?"

"No," Aoshi said. "What did you say?"

"I asked what you would like to do today."

"Hm?" He asked her, confused. Were they supposed to do something special today? It was possible that he had forgotten, what with had happened.

"I'm not going to let you sit around in the temple all day today," She said, "You need to get out, do something, have some _fun_."

He blinked at her.

She smiled, slightly, at the confused expression on his face. It wasn't often that he showed his emotions, but when he did, he looked, well, adorable.

"It's not a special day. I'm just not going to let you mope around anymore."

"Now," She said, "What do you want?"

_I want you to be unused_

_I want you to remember_

_I want you to believe in me_

_I want you on my side_

She meant, "What do you want to do today," he knew, but still…that couldn't stop other thoughts from popping in his mind.

He wanted her. He wanted to deserve her. And…it would be nice if last night had never happened, also.

"Ah," He said. He didn't want to do anything, but sit in the temple and think and somehow have his problems magically wished away. But he couldn't do that. "Shopping? For something?"

She raised an eyebrow at that. "And that's what you would enjoy doing?"

"Well, no," He admitted, "But you would."

She cocked her head at him, studying him quizzically. The expression on her face made him want to kiss her, but he couldn't give in to that temptation. He did, however, give into the impulse to tilt his head like hers, which made her laugh at him.

He loved her laugh. He loved the way her braid swung back and forth as she stood up, and he loved the way her shorts showed off her long legs. She wasn't his little girl, anymore.

She wasn't _his,_ either.

Not much happens in this chapter. It's sort of like a prologue.

Review? I'm not a very experience author and would like to know what I do right and what is worse than zombies taking over the world and having no guns to stop them with.


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